41
Ford Fiesta
It's still the best car in its class to drive, and even after all this time, the sharpness of the Fiesta's steering is still shocking to those used to the mute helms of some rivals. The last facelift made it look as good on the outside as it is to drive, and build quality took a noticeable step up. Wild ST is best of the junior hot hatches. Basic non-turbo EcoBoost is a sweet little engine and very characterful. Come on, you want an ST, though, don't you? Although better than it was, the cabin still lacks the solid feeling of some of the competition, and Ford needs to sort out its price/equipment ratios because it's getting badly left behind by the likes of Skoda.
Best buy: Oh sod it, ST
Price range: €13,800 to €27,890
CO2 emissions range: 95 to 138g/km
42
Hyundai i40
Updated in 2015 to keep it feeling fresh among the newly-arrived competition, the i40 is a car that kind of just quietly gets about its business and does so in an unfussily satisfying way. The 2015 update cleaned up the styling a good bit, both inside and out, but there was never anything wrong with the excellent 115hp 1.7 CRDI diesel, so Hyundai sensibly left well enough alone there. The i40's handling and ride balance is deftly struck – not sporty at all, but accurate and very comfortable, which is surely more appropriate. As ever, the handsome Tourer estate version is the best model to go for – more practical and better-looking than the saloon.
Best buy: 1.7 CRDI Executive Plus Tourer
Price range: €26,495 to €36,745
CO2 emissions range: 118 to 129g/km
43
Toyota Verso
It's going to sound mildly insulting if we say the Toyota Verso is good but dull, but the Toyota Verso is good but dull. It just seems to have had any potential for interest or excitement surgically removed at birth. Which is a shame as a good family car doesn't have to be so softly spoken. A good family car it most certainly is, though, with lots of space and versatile seating, not to mention the reassuring heft of its build quality. Not a car to love but certainly a car to appreciate, and the only disappointment is the slightly lacklustre BMW-sourced 1.6 diesel.
Best buy: 1.6 D4D Luna seven-seater
Price range: €26,720 to €31,895
CO2 emissions range: 119g/km
[ Watch our test driveOpens in new window ]
44
Mini Cooper
The trick with a current Mini is to keep it simple. The more spec and more expensive toys that you add to a Mini, conversely, the worse it feels. So, let's stick with the bits you need. The new 1.5 petrol turbo is the best engine – sweeter to drive than the diesel and damned near as economical too. You don't need big wheels and low-profile tyres as they'll just make the already firm ride unbearable, but the five-door bodyshell, although a bit ugly, gives the Mini some useful extra space. In the cabin, keep it simpler still – the basic seats are the comfiest and all you really need is climate control and sat-nav.
Best buy: Cooper 1.5 Chilli
Price range: €20,120 to €35,580
CO2 emissions range: 89 to 155g/km
[ Read the full reviewOpens in new window ]
45
Volkswagen Up
We used to say that if Apple made a car it would look like the VW Up. Well, Apple is making a car now and it won't look like the Up but you can still see a little bit of Cupertino in the Up's pared-back styling. The cabin is equally minimalist but really comfy, thanks especially to a driving position that's much less sit-up-and-beg than most small cars manage. The 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine had just enough grunt to keep things moving along and the Up seems to manage 50mpg no matter how you drive it. Quality, as you'd expect, is excellent. Just remember that Skoda and Seat make the identical Citigo and Mii, so check out their offers before you settle on the VW. Just avoid the three-door as it's awkward to get in and out of the back seats.
Best buy: Move Up 1.0 75hp 5-door.
Price range: €12,325 to €16,835
CO2 emissions range: 105 to 106g/km
46
Kia Soul
The mystery is why the Soul doesn't sell better around these parts. Okay, so it's primarily designed for the US market, and what's more it's primarily designed as a first car for affluent college students. Not many of them around here . . . Still, the Soul looks appealingly funky on the outside, and within the cabin has taken a major step up in quality from its too-plasticy forebear. Space inside is decent, and it's pretty good to drive too, although the ride can get too jittery around town. The 1.6 diesel is your only engine option – thankfully it does the job nicely although the CO2 figure is a bit steep – ah, perhaps that's the mystery solved, then.
Best buy: Only one model available, 1.6D EX
Price range: €24,495
CO2 emissions range: 132g/km
[ Read the full reviewOpens in new window ]
47
Toyota Prius
In comes the new Prius, just as the newspaper headlines are warning us all against the dangers of diesel air quality. Good timing, if nothing else. What current Prius owners will make of the much more OTT styling remains to be seen, but the levels of quality, assembly and tech are certainly right up where they should be. As before, the Prius isn't about driving fun or incisive steering, but as a comfy, near-silent way of getting about the place it's hard to beat. As ever, the CVT gearbox is a weak point, but with those ever-more impressive consumption and emissions figures, you might think it worth the price.
Best buy: New Prius Luxury
Price range: €31,450
CO2 emissions range: 70g/km
[ Read the full reviewOpens in new window ]
48
Hyundai i30
Just facelifted this year, with a new grille and lights and the promise of a sporty 200hp version in the offing, the i30 generally contents itself with providing fuss-free family motoring. It's pleasant to drive (but somehow less obviously sporty than its cousin, the Kia Cee'd) with a high-quality interior and plenty of space. Even with the 2015 upgrade though, its styling is beginning to look a touch off the pace next to the newer Tuscon and i20, although the estate version offers a massive boot for a pretty tidy purchase cost.
Best buy: i30 Tourer 1.6 Diesel Deluxe
Price range: €19,745 to €27,495
CO2 emissions range: 104 to 138g/km
49
Porsche 911
The 911 has just had another one of its blink-and-miss exterior styling updates (yup, it still looks like a 911) but has actually dramatically changed under the skin. The engine line-up is now centred around a pair of 3.0-litre turbo flat- sixes, in 370hp Carrera and 420hp Carrera S forms. More frugal than before (39mpg is Porsche's claimed figure) but still as thrilling and accessible as the 911 has long since been. Interior also upgraded with a new infotainment system, but you won't care about that – you'll be to busy revelling in the sharp steering and rear-engined balance. Still, as it ever was, the benchmark sports car.
Best buy: 3.0 Carrera S
Price range: TBA
CO2 emissions range: 169 to 208g/km
50
Fiat 500
As cute as a button and pretty much as small as one too, the Fiat 500 is an object lesson in how to make the most of retro styling. So much so, in fact, that you get the distinct feeling that Fiat is struggling slightly to work out how to replace it. There's always been quite a lot wrong with the 500 (awful driving position, bouncy ride, tiny boot) and it's too small to compete with the likes of the Mini and Audi A1, but all that kind of fades away when you look at it. Fiat gave it a mild update this year, with some tidied up styling, a few interior upgrades (such as a touch- screen infotainment system) and some small engine tweaks, but the 500 remains much as it always has been – cute enough and fun enough to overcome its flaws.
Best buy: 0.9 TwinAir Lounge
Price range: €13,450 to €21,200
CO2 emissions range: 89 to 110g/km